Going to Swampy - exit inbound bus at Rangsit or Mo Chit?

[jollyhangmon]

Coming in on bus from the north would it make sense to get out in Rangsit area already, taking the taxi for Suvarnabhumi from there instead of doing so at final destination Mo Chit bus station?

 

I previously noticed those last maybe 10km are going really slow on the bus due to heavy traffic and the distance to the airport seems to be about same from both locations anyway ...

 

Some 'professional' advice / experiences? Thanks folks! 

[dddave]

You could exit at Don Muang and take the free shuttle to Swampy as long as you have an outbound ticket.  Wont save you any time though.

It's a true pain getting from Mor Chit bus station to the BTS, especially if you have bags.  Probably just as well to take a taxi, perhaps from Rangsit but again, Don Muang would be better.  There is a taxi stop right along the highway by the footbridge leading to the airport.

[buick]

i always prefer a taxi on the tollway (upper level) to a bus on the lower level.  it can depend on time of day but i just came in from DMK today, leaving DMK about 3:30pm (going to mochit bts) and encountered some traffic on the lower level.  google maps indicated 'green' so i took the risk on the lower level, but i won't make that mistake again.

[jollyhangmon]

... thanks, didn't know about the shuttle between the airports, good idea if enough time.

I came up with Rangsit because the bus-companies always ask if one wants to get out there instead of Mo Chit depot and it seems almost half of the people do so, I also noticed plenty of cabs around ... the buses obviously just stop at the side of the 'highway'.

 

Yes, will carry two bags and I've already used public traffic from Swampy (public transportation centre) to Mo Chit repeatedly, while there's hardly enough space for luggage in the buses I always have much more time on hand in that direction.

The other way round - flying out - I always use taxis to the airport as there's not that much time ... and that last hour or so of the (slow) busride all the way to MoChit just seems to be a waste of it ... 

 

 

[Lakegeneve]

Apart from the AOT Airport Shuttle Bus (usually 1 hr max) which would be your easiest option after alighting at Vihavadi rd outside DMK you have other options;

 

1) The BMTA 555 runs from Rangsit and past DMK to BKK Airport. (554 can also be taken from outside DMK to BKK airport). These buses also are around 1 hr max except you then have to shuttle from the Transport Center 2kms to the terminal at BKK. They run approx every 20-30 mins.

 

2) If you can't board the airport shuttle and don't want to wait for the above buses  you could also do the A1/A2 to the BTS/MRT and then take either one to the ARL. Not ideal with two bags given the transfers between modes.

[jollyhangmon]

9 minutes ago, Lakegeneve said:

Apart from the AOT Airport Shuttle Bus (usually 1 hr max) which would be your easiest option after alighting at Vihavadi rd outside DMK you have other options;

 

1) The BMTA 555 runs from Rangsit and past DMK to BKK Airport. (554 can also be taken from outside DMK to BKK airport). These buses also are around 1 hr max except you then have to shuttle from the Transport Center 2kms to the terminal at BKK. They run approx every 20-30 mins.

 

2) If you can't board the airport shuttle and don't want to wait for the above buses  you could also do the A1/A2 to the BTS/MRT and then take either one to the ARL. Not ideal with two bags given the transfers between modes.

 

Excellent info, thanks.

So that roughly 1 hr from Rangsit/Vibhavadi rd/DMK to BKK you mentioned I basically wasted so far staying on the bus to Mo Chit ... just as I thought.

Might try one of the bus options if my bus gets in on time (9 pm, +/- ) if running late just hire a taxi.

 

[buick]

13 hours ago, Lakegeneve said:

Apart from the AOT Airport Shuttle Bus (usually 1 hr max) which would be your easiest option after alighting at Vihavadi rd outside DMK you have other options;

lakegeneve, i've seen many of your posts and know that info you provide is highly reliable.  but i'm struggling with the item above.  how can a bus get from DMK to BKK (airport) in one hour ?  do they also use the tollway(s) ? 

[dddave]

15 hours ago, Lakegeneve said:

) The BMTA 555 runs from Rangsit and past DMK to BKK Airport. (554 can also be taken from outside DMK to BKK airport). These buses also are around 1 hr max except you then have to shuttle from the Transport Center 2kms to the terminal at BKK. They run approx every 20-30 mins.

The problem with taking the #555 bus DMK to BKK is that the seats are frequently all taken by the time it gets from Rangsit to DMK so very possible you will be standing most of the way to BKK while trying to control your bags:  been there, done that, no fun.

Makes a lot of stops along the way.

[jollyhangmon]

1 hour ago, dddave said:

The problem with taking the #555 bus DMK to BKK is that the seats are frequently all taken by the time it gets from Rangsit to DMK so very possible you will be standing most of the way to BKK while trying to control your bags:  been there, done that, no fun.

Makes a lot of stops along the way.

 

Yep, know what you mean from using buses the other way round as mentioned, not extremely pleasant even when getting a seat (with  Swampys Public Transport Center being the starting point for those buses) but ok with plenty of time to kill ... 

 

By the way not that much better on the other end (VIE, Vienna, AT) using public transport - well, with the exception of the dedicated lines, trains as well as buses with plenty of storage room, but of course they only run from airport to city, anywhere further one's stuck with standard transport again.

 

Here in BKK I don't have a problem taking a taxi, always did in that direction so far - a bus would just be a bonus of course, if time allows it.
Wanted to find out if I couldn't cut some corners by already deboarding at say Rangsit instead of end-of-the-line in the first place, with the bus down from Mae Sai running on a bit later schedule now it would make sense ... 

[Lakegeneve]

On 5/31/2018 at 8:33 AM, buick said:

lakegeneve, i've seen many of your posts and know that info you provide is highly reliable.  but i'm struggling with the item above.  how can a bus get from DMK to BKK (airport) in one hour ?  do they also use the tollway(s) ? 

Yes, both buses use tollways for around half of the distance.

 

The 555 runs down Vihavdi-Rangsit rd to Din Dang and then enters the tollway going all the way to the airport. Thus, the only section that it is stopping is along Vihavadi between DMK and UTCC just south of Suttisan. The timing is often 45 mins off peak and around 1hr- 1:15hr peak.

 

When I have taken it over the years to go from DMK to Central Latphrao for the MRT or to BKK airport, I've never see it full. Indeed it has always had plenty of seats. However, I haven't caught it that much recently - though the last time was 1 month ago -  to have a good profile so dddave might be correct about pax loads.

 

The 554 turns left into Chaeng Wattana then continues along Ram Inthra rd before heading south along the Eastern Ring Road. This is much. much slower than the 555 especially as the turn into CW rd from Vihavadi rd is always backed up. This is also a route to avoid for the few years as the MRT Pink line is built along Chaeng Wattana rd.

Edited June 4, 2018 by Lakegeneve

[Lakegeneve]

On 5/30/2018 at 8:04 PM, jollyhangmon said:

 

Excellent info, thanks.

So that roughly 1 hr from Rangsit/Vibhavadi rd/DMK to BKK you mentioned I basically wasted so far staying on the bus to Mo Chit ... just as I thought.

Might try one of the bus options if my bus gets in on time (9 pm, +/- ) if running late just hire a taxi.

 

If your intercity bus arrives 9pm, then the time to the airport will be less than 1hr. However, if you do try the AOT shuttle bus first and they deny you it might just be easier taking the A1/A2 & BTS/ARL combo rather than walking back out to Vihavadi rd. The A1/A2 gets stuck at peak hr for the last 1.5km north of Mo Chit (it can take a long as 20 mins sometimes for that last 1.5km) but at that time of night you obviously won't be dealing with peak hr traffic.

[buick]

1 hour ago, Lakegeneve said:

When I have taken it over the years to go from DMK to Central Latphrao for the MRT

thanks for the other response.  one question i've asked myself many times relates to the above.  i use DMK monthly and just by habit, i've always gone to chatuchak MRT from DMK, but wondered if i should go to latphrao MRT instead (obviously, it would be a shorter ride on the MRT to sukhumvit station).  same goes for when i'm going to DMK, should i exit at latphrao, are there taxis waiting nearby the MRT station. 

[Lakegeneve]

21 hours ago, buick said:

thanks for the other response.  one question i've asked myself many times relates to the above.  i use DMK monthly and just by habit, i've always gone to chatuchak MRT from DMK, but wondered if i should go to latphrao MRT instead (obviously, it would be a shorter ride on the MRT to sukhumvit station).  same goes for when i'm going to DMK, should i exit at latphrao, are there taxis waiting nearby the MRT station. 

Do keep in mind that if I exit at Central Latphrao I am going to MRT Phahonyothin station as I cut thru Central  (often to grab a bite) and enter via entry 3 - MRT Latphrao is the next station.

This is only really useful if 1) you don't have any luggage, 2) it is peak hour so it potentially saves 15-20 mins as the bus crawls along to BTS Mo Chit (then subtract 5 mins for the walk via Central).

 

 

 

[buick]

On 6/4/2018 at 11:19 PM, Lakegeneve said:

Do keep in mind that if I exit at Central Latphrao I am going to MRT Phahonyothin station

thanks again for the info.  i'm glad i didn't try it the other day, for some reason i thought that station/map you've shown was latphrao MRT.  i've seen the entrance/exit structure for exit 3 off to my left as the taxi drives on to chatuchak.  i travel with a small backpack as i keep other stuff in buriram (where i fly to/from).    i will give it a try.  i like to have a snack and a beer before the ride in to sukhumvit and i've done that at DMK but central latphrao sounds like a good alternative.